Soar Above the Storm
by Gaelstrom
Summary: "You'll make friends," she promised. Well, she was a liar because the only thing that would come near my face was a soccer ball. And even then, it wasn't very friendly.
1. A Possibly Terrible Decision

**Author's Note [****3/2/2014]**: 

**If you've decided to read this story, I really appreciate it. Now you're probably curious to know what this story entails, so I'll do a quick summary.**

**This is a _Tavros-centric_ Humanstuck AU that focuses on his character development. There will be hints of romance, but it will mainly involve family and friendship. Follow Tavros' journey as he's faced with struggles, unwanted flirting, and a crippling reality.**

******Cover Art by Viria.**

* * *

**A Possibly Terrible Decision**

It was common knowledge to anyone who knew me that I couldn't walk without tripping over my own feet, let alone _play soccer_. And yet, here I was, being forced by my best friend to join the soccer team.

"Please, Tavros, the team is suffering."

"Aradia, you should know better than anyone how t-terrible I am at soccer," I said, grimacing as I recalled my experience with house league.

I never wanted to play the sport, you see, but my father was convinced that enrolling my eleven-year-old self in house league soccer would benefit me. Somehow, he got the idea that since my brother, Rufioh, played soccer and was coordinated, well-liked, and confident; I would magically obtain those skills too.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

I was so shy and insecure that I was glued to my position on the field. That was probably for the best, however, because when I did try to play, it was disastrous. I always managed to get hurt somehow, whether it was from falling, getting hit, or tripping over the ball.

The only bright side of house league was seeing Aradia Megido weekly, my cousin and current best friend. She managed to turn shitty-soccer-Sundays to tolerable-soccer-Sundays.

"But it won't be like before," she promised, determination written on her face. "I know you have bad experience with soccer, but you weren't as bad as you thought."

I didn't think she believed that. Nobody did, not even me. "Vriska s-seemed to think otherwise," I muttered under my breath.

Vriska Serket was the best player on the team; talented, pretty, and a huge asshole. She bossed everyone around and loved to boast about her incredible soccer skills. Every compliment she received was met with a cocky attitude. I didn't mind, of course, until Vriska decided she couldn't stand having me as her teammate anymore.

Once I became her number one target, she instantly turned my tolerable-soccer-Sundays to _I-hate-my-life-_soccer-Sundays. She never missed an opportunity to laugh at my face or yell about how useless I was; sometimes she even hit me if I was particularly terrible. She easily turned the whole team against me, except Aradia, who defended and supported me no matter what.

I endured and finished the soccer season. Aradia continued to play the sport, but my father got the idea that I was just not cut out for sports and I never played soccer since.

Until, well, _now_.

Aradia clutched the straps of her backpack and averted her eyes. "Listen Tavros, forget about her. You haven't seen her in five years."

I sighed as I picked up my bag from the ground. My shoulders were slumped; mostly from the weight of that terrible fifth grade summer than my backpack. "I know. She didn't mean a-anything to me."

My best friend gave me a concerned look, fully aware that I'm still not completely over the experience, but let it slide anyway. "I'm sorry, I hate bringing up bad memories, but I only want you to make new friends and joining a team is the perfect way."

I wanted to refuse, but I also didn't want to upset her, so instead I said, "I don't know…"

Aradia sighed, but I knew she would try again later today. "Can you at least sit with me at lunch then?"

I shook my head. It wasn't like I hated being seen with Aradia, far from it, actually. However, I quickly learned in the first couple weeks of transferring to Skaia Secondary School that my presence was unwanted by Aradia's friends. Don't get me wrong, they treated me really nicely, but they just weren't _my _friends. I was often left out of any group conversations they had, which prompted Aradia to talk to me instead so I felt included. I could tell her friends didn't appreciate it very much, and, having no desire to become a burden, I left.

"I like being alone; it's, uh, peaceful."

She raised an eyebrow, the corners of lip tugging upwards. "What? I can't hang out with my best friend at lunch?"

A smile spread across my face and I looked down sheepishly. Aradia laughed lightheartedly and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. "I'll meet you at your locker. See you at lunch."

I watched her go, smile still in place.

* * *

I pulled out my books in first period Math, perfectly content in the peace and quiet of the classroom. The tranquility was shattered, however, by a loud, cranky voice.

"Why don't you do something productive in your sad, useless fucking life rather than shove grass up your asshole?" I didn't even have to look up to recognize the unmistakable voice of Karkat Vantas.

"Shit, brother, that sounds more than motherfucking unsanitary," came the lazy drawl of Gamzee Makara. "I suggest smoking it; that shit's miraculous."

I glimpsed up from my math book to see the pair travel to the back of the class. Gamzee had a carefree smile stretched across his face, unaffected by the cruel insults. He mindlessly observed the classroom lights, his half-lidded eyes red-rimmed from smoking too much marijuana. Karkat, on the other hand, had his characteristic scowl plastered on his ghostly pale face, bright red eyes glaring at the tall, lethargic man.

"I don't even know why I bother with a miserable shit stain like you. Just join the fucking soccer team so the douchebags that run the school don't cancel it."

My ears perked at the sound of 'soccer team'. Out of all people, Karkat was one of the last people I expected to play. He wasn't exactly the definition of a good sport, much less be able to cooperate with ten other players.

"I would love to up and motherfucking help, but I just don't remember how to play that shit," replied Gamzee.

Karkat sighed in frustration, and then grumbled, "As much as my throat wants to choke itself admitting it, you were actually pretty decent."

Somehow, the smile on Gamzee's face seemed to get larger and he lifted Karkat in a bear hug, much to the shorter boy's displeasure."Aww thanks Karbro."

"Put me down you gigantic brain dead douchefuck!"

When the drugged teen set him down, Karkat spat a plethora of outraged insults.

Unfazed, Gamzee continued, "Your kicks were motherfucking _wicked_. The ball flew so fucking high, like a falling star travelling the whole, wide world."

Just then, the teacher, Mrs. Orser, entered the room, flipping through her notes. Without lifting her head, she said, "As poetic as your similes are, Mr. Makara, last time I checked, this was a math class."

"Sorry, sister." Gamzee gave her a large grin, no hint of shame or embarrassment. Karkat growled and shoved his best friend into his seat. "Just shut up and sit."

Mrs. Orser shook her head in exasperation, and then turned to the chalkboard to teach the new lesson. I tried my best to pay attention and take notes, but my attention kept returning to Karkat's and Gamzee's conversation. I considered turning around and asking them about it, but I quickly rejected that idea. I knew that any communication with Karkat would be received with annoyance. I didn't want to be the cause of anybody's anger, so I sat through the rest of the period, eagerly awaiting lunch with Aradia.

* * *

The rest of the morning went very similarly to my math class: people trying to persuade others to join the soccer team, getting rejected, and then trying again. A nice, small girl with an affinity for cats had approached me about the team, although she hadn't gotten too far when an intimidating, muscular teen had dragged her away.

I walked down the crowded hallways, still wondering about the soccer team and why everyone so eagerly wanted others to join when, ironically, a pair of students stopped me in the halls to do just that.

"Hey, I'm Jade," exclaimed a quirky girl with bright green eyes and a friendly smile. I recognized her as the optimistic, outgoing girl from my English class. She pointed to a boy who looked similar to her, and said, "And this is my brother John!"

"Oh, err, hi," I said, returning the smile.

"I know this is probably a little weird, but we're trying to save the soccer team from being cancelled and we were wondering if you'd like to join," she said, handing me a sheet with the sign-up details for the team.

"I, um, I guess, I'm n-not sure though."

"Don't worry bro, we only have around eight people who are trying out so you'll probably make it," Jade's brother, John, cut in. He gave me a thumbs up and said, "The soccer team is totally awesome, trust me."

"Um, thanks, I think. I d-don't really—I mean, I'm not so good anymore, so I won't be g-good." I internally groaned at my inability to express myself, made a mental note to start talking to people more often, and tried again. "Sorry, I m-meant, I won't be, uh, very useful."

John gave me a confused look. "Sooo, is that a yes or a no? I don't really understand what you're trying to say because of your stutter."

Jade frowned at him. "Be nice, John." She turned to me, looking apologetic. "Well, it's okay if you aren't the best! You can get better in the team practices, just please give it some thought. Thanks for listening, see you later...?"

"Um, Tavros," I provided, not very surprised that she didn't recognize me. I tended to sit on the sides of the classroom, minding my own business.

"Right! Hope to see you there, Tavros!" With that, she turned away to hunt down the next soccer team victim, her brother close on her heels.

* * *

As I approached my locker, I spotted Aradia's long, wavy black hair—which wasn't very difficult with the amount that she had. How she kept her head up without breaking her neck still baffled me.

She was conversing with Sollux, her 'close friend'. Nobody actually believed the two were just friends, no matter how many times she assured everyone.

Aradia caught my eye and waved at me, garnering the attention of the aforementioned 'close friend'. Sollux looked at me and nodded in acknowledgement—or, at least, I thought so, it was difficult to tell what with his bi-coloured glasses.

"Hey Tavros, I was just telling Sollux to join the team." I wasn't really surprised at the statement, more like I was _expecting_ it. Soccer has been the only topic of conversation for the whole day so far.

"I don't really want to, AA," replied Sollux.

"Oh come on, not you too! Please, Sollux, for me?" Aradia said, refusing to give up.

"Nobody wants to join, the team is fucking shit," he stated, slight lisp revealing itself. Aradia gave him a pointed look and he shrugged. "I don't even know why you bother; the team never qualifies for city championships."

"And we can change that! All of us, and _yes_, you too Tavros," she reassured me, and I gave her an appreciative look. "Listen, this is a good opportunity for both of you to stop mindlessly playing computer games every day."

Sollux and I gave her an accusing look; we both knew that she played almost as many computer games as we did. Just yesterday, she and I played the popular live action role playing game FLARP. She seemed to be aware of her hypocrisy and smiled sheepishly. "All I'm trying to say is give it a chance."

"I have better things to do than kick a stupid ball around a field, AA," he said bluntly. Aradia seemed more disappointed than offended, but I knew that she wasn't going to let it go. "Anyway, I have to go meet up with KK. See you around AA, Tavros."

Not long after he left, Aradia turned to me and smiled. "Let's go to The Secret Garden; I want get some fresh air."

I quickly agreed and we set off down the hallway.

* * *

The garden was in the middle of the school, surrounded by glass walls. Skaia Secondary was built with the intention of leaving out a portion of the center for gardening and fresh air. It was mine and Aradia's favourite place to eat lunch due to our love of nature. Her natural curiosity drew her to the garden, while I enjoyed the serenity that came with it. Naturally, it was the primary destination for lunch.

We wandered a little deeper into garden until we found a bench. The surrounding fauna and flora blocked us from view of any students, which prompted us to name the place 'The Secret Garden'. The novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett was one that we both enjoyed. Aradia often compared me to Dickon Sowerby due to my close relationship with animals, but that was as far as similarity went. As much as I hated to admit it, I thought I was more like Colin Craven—weak and pitiful.

I sat down beside Aradia, pulling out a peanut butter sandwich from my lunch bag. "Are you, uh, sure that you don't want to be with your friends?" I asked, unable to suppress my worry. To my eternal gratitude, Aradia reassured me every time, no matter how repetitive and annoying it became.

"No, I missed eating lunch with you; you make it such a point to get out of my way that I hardly see you during school," she said, frowning.

"But I haven't even been in this school for that l-long," I reminded her.

"Yeah, but we used to eat outside when we were in elementary school all the time!" reminded Aradia, laughing as she recalled our adventurous childhood together. "Don't tell me you forgot."

I grinned, previous worries disbanded. "I could never forget," I said easily.

There was no doubt in my mind that elementary school was the best years of my life. There were absolutely no worries; appearance, social status, grades, or the future didn't matter. On top of that, those were the days when mine and Aradia's friendship was at its strongest. We were glued to the hip and spent almost every minute together playing, exploring, and going on adventures. Unfortunately, we grew a little distant when we separated in middle school. Although we still saw each other often, she went on to make new friends and interests, while I became a victim of bullying and harassment.

"I wish I could live in my childhood forever," I sighed wistfully.

"Like Peter Pan?"

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips at the mention of my favourite story. Anyone who knew me knew that I loved Peter Pan, but nobody understood this as well as my cousin. From the day my mother read the story of the boy who never grew up, I was hooked.

"Now I'm just getting nostalgic," I admitted. Aradia agreed, and she recounted her morning instead.

She expressed her love for her ancient civilizations class; explaining how she adored her teacher and her kind classmates. She went on to talk about second period biology, a class she shared with Sollux. The computer genius was better at chemistry, so Aradia often helped him grasp certain concepts. She continued to tell me all about her morning, leaving out no details. I really liked listening to her stories, so I welcomed anything she had to say.

"Enough about me," Aradia finished. "Tell me about your morning, Tavros."

I was about to tell her that my morning wasn't anything special, because they usually weren't, until I remembered how I was constantly bombarded with soccer advertisements.

"Well," I started, "a lot of people asked me to, um, join soccer."

That definitely caught Aradia's attention because her dark eyes widened hopefully. "So does this mean you're going to join?"

"I, uh, don't think so. I'm just c-curious why nobody wants to join."

Aradia's expression went from hopeful to dejected. "It's because Skaia's soccer team is one of the worst in the region. Most people quit and nobody wants to join because the team isn't very successful. If the team fails again, they're going to stop funding the sport. This is probably our last chance."

She turned to me with that familiar look of determination. "Tavros, I really think joining the team will benefit you. I'm not only saying this so enough people can join to form an official team; I'm saying it because I want you to make your own friends. I want you to actually experience what it's like to be part of a friendly community."

I understood what Aradia meant; she wanted me to actually get a life. She was often concerned about my well-being and I tried convincing her it was fine because really, _it was_. Even if I was lonely, I learned to live with it. "I'm already okay with being alone."

She looked at me seriously. "I understand you like being alone because I do too, but there's a difference between being alone and being lonely. I know you can handle yourself, Tavros, but I also know that this is the best option."

I sighed; I knew Aradia was right but I didn't want to admit it. For most of my life, I experienced everything alone with the exception of my family. It left me empty and hollow; a feeling, I decided, that I wanted to forget.

"Okay," I agreed. "I'll try it."

Aradia whipped her head in my direction, her face radiating joy. She threw her arms around me. "Thank you, Tavros! I can't believe you're actually doing this."

_Neither can I_, I thought as I returned the hug. _I just hope I don't regret it._

* * *

******Feedback would be very much appreciated. **I strongly encourage constructive criticism, so don't be afraid to tell me your opinion or point out any mistakes that you think should be made. I really hope you enjoyed and that you read the story until the end. 

**Thanks for reading.**


	2. A Lesson in Flight

**Author's Note [3/12/14]:**

**I was supposed to update on Sunday, but _clearly_, I'm an incompetent asshole. The beginning of the chapter was written a lot differently and I didn't really like it, so I had to scrap it and start over. I'm really glad I did, however, because I had so much fun writing about Tavros' family. I'll try my best to update soon to keep on schedule.**

**And thank you to everyone who favourited, followed, and reviewed.**

* * *

**A Lesson in Flight**

I strolled down the sidewalk of my once familiar neighbourhood, feeling like a total stranger due to my five year absence. In an attempt to reacquaint myself with the community, I took the longest route possible to get home. The path led through the park, the forest, and past the lake. I often took this opportunity to feed animals; spending hours by myself in the nature enjoying the peace. Eventually, I would start to walk home when it was near dinner time.

There were children playing on the streets; their contagious laughter echoing through the air, bringing joy to anyone who passed. Sometimes an old neighbour would stop me to chat, shocked at my return. Other times, there would be a new family that I didn't recognize and I would pass with a small wave.

After a couple hours of roaming, I reached Alauda Street. My cramped, two-story house sat at the end of the court. Due to our relatively small backyard and our large family, we were forced to play in the cul-de-sac. It never bothered me as a kid; in fact, much of my childhood was built on that very road.

My brothers and sisters and I used to come out every day to play; waking up early in the morning and then returning after school. Sometimes, the neighbourhood kids also joined the fun. We played games, held competitions, and all around had a great time. Plus, Aradia and I used explore the narrow path hidden in the undergrowth when she visited our house. It was bliss—before adolescence caught up with us and we were forced to focus on school work.

"You look fucking stupid."

I lifted my head to see my sister, Luana, standing in the doorway. She was a year younger than I was and loved to mock me about everything I did. We always harassed each other, and understandably so due to our close ages. The problem was that I was a huge pushover and she loved to take that to her advantage.

I frowned and shoved past her on my way in the house. "That's great, Luana."

I was also pretty bad at comebacks.

She snickered at my embarrassment, clearly amused. "What were you even doing out there?"

I didn't respond, knowing that she hated being ignored. I continued my day as if she wasn't there; setting down my backpack and unzipping my windbreaker.

"I know you're ignoring me so you could avoid telling me." I heard the slight irritation in her voice, no matter how much she tried to act nonchalant.

"Why do you even care?" I asked, pulling off my coat.

I saw her cross her arms. "I _don't_," she said, indignantly.

Growing up with her, I knew Luana well enough to recognize her act. I held my tongue, however, my brotherly instincts kicking in and refusing to upset her. No matter how much trouble she gave me, she was still my younger sister.

"What did I say about fighting?" came a warning tone.

Instantly, I froze, recognizing my mom's angry voice.

"Tavros, turn around and look me in the eye," mom growled. I gulped and quickly obeyed, nervously clutching the windbreaker between my hands.

Mom had her hands on her hips, glaring at me and Luana. Despite her short, thin stature, she seemed to tower over us due to her chilling voice and intimidating glare. The stress of raising six children was evident in her gray-streaked curly brown hair and her wrinkled eyes. Mom may have been weathered down by age but she still managed to strike fear in anyone who crossed her.

"I left work early to clean the house and cook food while you two have been doing nothing but argue," spat mom, clearly irritated. "As the eldest in the household, I expect you two to behave. Now do something productive before your brother gets home."

My eyes widened in surprise. My oldest brother, Rufioh, hadn't been home in two months and I completely forgot he was visiting today.

"Rufioh's coming home?!" Luana exclaimed, shock and excitement overpowering her original fear. It didn't last very long because that exclamation seemed to push mom over the edge.

"Maybe if you listened once in a while, you would have known," she snapped.

I backed away from Luana, who looked utterly terrified. She winced as mom stormed up to her and pinched her ear. It looked like a younger version of mom was being dragged up the stairs because their faces were uncannily similar.

I sighed in relief when the two were finally out of sight. Once mom reached the second floor, however, she yelled, "TAVROS, USE THOSE LEGS OF YOURS AND CLEAN YOUR ROOM."

* * *

I collapsed on my bed, releasing a huge breath as I finally put away the last of my belongings. I saw it fit to give myself a well-deserved rest after almost an hour of cleaning the mess I called my room.

Although I sort of liked when it was messy; in a weird way, it made it feel like mine. It almost didn't feel the same without the Fiduspawn cards and Oogonibombs littering the floor. The lack of Host Plushes in random places felt unfamiliar, and the space where my jousting lance should have been was oddly empty. Now, my Fiduspawn cards and Oogonibombs were stacked nicely in my drawers, my Host Plushes crowded the shelves, and my jousting lance was shoved inside my closet.

There were some things that hadn't changed though. My multiple posters of fairies, fantasy lands, and Peter Pan were still plastered on my wall. I was a big believer in magic and powers; often imagining what it would be like to fly. Sometimes, I would create my own fantasy worlds in my head; drawing maps, creating characters, and coming up with my own stories. In bed, I would look out the window to observe the trees and the night sky; imagining that I was going on my very own adventure. I was completely fascinated with fantasy and I didn't think that was ever going to change.

A ping from my laptop snapped me out of my reverie, and I glanced toward my bedside table. The alarm clock read 6:12 PM, which gave me enough time to respond to whoever messaged me on Pesterchum. But who was I kidding? There was only one person who would bother to chat with me at all.

**apocalypseArisen -AA- began trolling ****adiosToreador -AT- :****  
**

AA: hey tavr0s

AA: d0 y0u want t0 play flarp

AT: tHAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF FUN,

AT: bUT, i CAN'T,

AA: why n0t

AT: i HAVE TO EAT,

AT: dINNER,

AA: h0w ab0ut when y0u c0me back

AT: i REALLY WANT TO, BUT,

AT: rUFIOH'S COMING BACK,

AT: aND i REALLY WANT TO, uH, TALK TO HIM,

AT: sORRY,

AA: y0u sh0uld have t0ld me he was visiting

AA: then i w0uldn't have g0ne t0 s0lluxs h0use

AT: sORRY,

AT: i ALSO FORGOT,

AT: }:(

AA: thats 0kay

AT: wHY DON'T YOU COME OVER NOW,

AT: mOM AND dAD LOVE YOU,

AT: aND i KNOW rUFIOH WOULD, WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN,

AA: i d0nt think m0m w0uld let me

Aradia's parents divorced when she was young. Her father, my uncle David, moved to the city, but still visited his children every few weeks. He brought them wherever they wanted; like the mall, in Damara's case, or kayaking, as was Aradia's preference. On the other hand, Aradia's mother, my aunt Amaya, kept their house in the suburbs. Aunt Amaya changed her daughters' last name to her own and became a lot stricter since the separation. She usually wasn't home, but when she was, she was too busy with work to spend time with Aradia and Damara.

Due to the loneliness in her home, Aradia was often found in ours. She may not have the same last name anymore, but she was still part of the family and we welcomed her with open arms. She joined our family vacations, played with us, and grew up with us—she even had her own spot on the dinner table. In fact, Aradia might as well have been our sister with her resemblance to the Nitrams. She took after her father, inheriting his dark skin (although hers was more of a tan) and his thick, wavy hair.

Hair, now that I thought of it, was definitely a defining factor of our family. It was a bit weird, but we were pretty fascinated with unique hairstyles, to say the least. My own hair was shaved into a Mohawk, but in a Bobak Ferdowsi fashion rather than a punk style. Rufioh's hair, on the other hand, was a little riskier.

AA: are y0u still there

AT: yEAH, sORRY,

AT: i WAS JUST THINKING OF, uH, HAIR,

AA: d0nt tell me y0ure thinking 0f cutting y0ur hair again

AT: nO, uM,

AT: i REALLY LIKE MY HAIR,

I was about to explain the different types of Mohawks and their significance until somebody entered the room without permission.

"Um, Tavros?" stuttered my nine-year-old sister Josefa. "Can we talk?"

I smiled kindly and agreed, patting the empty spot on my purple, fairy-covered bed sheets. She crossed the room eagerly and made herself comfortable by my side.

"Who're you chatting with?"

"Aradia," I replied. I told my cousin goodbye and shut off my laptop, and then turned to my youngest sister, and asked, "What's wrong?"

She avoided my gaze and fiddled with one of her multiple braids. Clearly something was bothering her, which worried me. Josefa and I had a special relationship; we understood each other very well and she often came to me for support. We shared characteristics such as weak will and susceptibility to harassment, igniting within me a strong need to protect her.

After a long silence, Josefa finally worked up the courage to tell me. "Dexter won't leave me alone."

Even _hearing_ his name upset me. She referred to a boy in her class who liked to pick on her every opportunity he had. He'd been disturbing Josefa since fourth grade and, unfortunately, they were put into the same class again. The kid laughed at her repeatedly; pointing out any flaws she had.

"What did he do this time?"

Josefa frowned. "He… he told me I was terrible at soccer."

The situation reminded me of Vriska Serket bullying me in house league soccer, which only managed to make me even angrier. The circumstances were scarily similar; the exact same grade, the exact same sport, and the exact same problem.

"Don't listen to him, he only thinks he's better but he means _nothing_. He isn't important and you'll forget about him when you go into middle school," I assured her, overcome with fierce displeasure at the injustice of the situation.

"I-I know, but…" Josefa hugged her knees and I had enough experience with tears to know that she held them back. "I think he's r-right. He said that I was u-useless and I had no talent and…" She rubbed furiously at her eyes. "I'm picked last because n-nobody wants me on their team."

The sadness and hurt in her voice broke my heart. All the terrible insults from years past came flooding back and soon, the tears were too. I covered my eyes with my arm and leaned my head back against the headboard of my bed in an attempt to compose myself.

"Hey… why are you crying?" Josefa sniffled after a few minutes of silence.

Her acknowledgement only made it worse and I bit my lip to suppress the whimpers that were threatening to spill. I felt like my eleven-year-old self all over again; useless and pathetic. I could handle being bullied, but I was _not_ going to let my sister go through the same suffering that I did.

I swallowed away the tightness in my throat and released a shaky breath. I couldn't bear seeing her tear-stricken face and wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug. We sat there until our sniffling turned silent and we calmed down enough to speak properly. "You'll prove him wrong because you're better than him."

"How?"

I gave it some thought, and then suggested, "Ask Rufioh to help you improve."

"But I want _you_ to teach me," Josefa protested. "You used to play."

I released her, shaking my head. I knew full well that I wouldn't be much help; I'd probably only make it worse. "Rufioh will be better help. Trust me."

She lowered her head dejectedly. "Alright…" Then suddenly, her face lit up. "When he leaves, will you teach me instead?"

I stared at her, completely at a loss for words. I forgot that Rufioh was only visiting for a couple weeks before he had to go back to college. It was hardly enough time to teach somebody how to play soccer successfully.

"Josefa, I'm not very, uh, good…" I began, uncertainly. I didn't want to promise her something I couldn't fulfill. It was supposed to be common knowledge that I couldn't play soccer. Why wasn't this getting through anybody's head?

"Please, Tavros," begged Josefa. She needn't say more because when I looked into her eyes, I saw a pain and hurt that I was all too familiar with.

I promised Aradia that I would join the soccer team to give it a chance, and I promised myself that I would join to improve my life. Those were promises that were easy to break, but promising my sister that I would give her a chance to protect herself against ridicule was not. I knew with a certainty, however, it was the only vow I was willing to keep.

My face went from uncertain to determined, and I said unwaveringly, "Okay, I promise."

* * *

Josefa and I were in the middle of an intense game of Fiduspawn when I heard the front door open with a loud bang.

"Hey, I'm back!" announced the voice of Rufioh.

Instantly, the footsteps of the rest of the Nitram family pounded throughout the household. Cries of joy echoed in the air as a long overdue reunion took place in the foyer.

Josefa and I were also quick to respond. We dropped our cards and jumped to our feet. Excitement coursed through my whole body and I ran out the room and peered over the edge of the railway to see my large family gathered around Rufioh.

My brother was somebody that a lot of people looked up to. He had this natural charisma and kindness that drew everyone towards him. He made friends with everybody he met due to his peaceful, mellow attitude and his impossible ability to never take anything personally. Contrary to what he claimed, Rufioh wasn't really afraid to express himself. He worked hard at dressing nicely and had a unique sense of style; he even had a crazy red Mohawk divided into three parts that he somehow managed to make attractive. Many people adored him, including my family.

Luana clutched his torso and made no attempt to stifle her sniffling. The two were always really close growing up and she cried every time he left or returned. It wasn't long until Luana's hogging was met with impatience as Matias, my twelve-year-old brother, shoved her away and began asking Rufioh all about his absence. The college student just ruffled Matias' hair and laughed lightheartedly as the young boy went on and on about who knew what. He was hushed by my eldest sister Abril, however, so she could have a turn at welcoming Rufioh's arrival. She gave him a quick hug and they exchanged jokes, resulting in an affectionate shove from Abril. Afterwards, my parents approached Rufioh with a long hug from mom and a proud pat on the shoulder from dad. Finally, Josefa ran down the stairs and jumped into his arms. He caught her in midair twirled her around.

After Rufioh set Josefa down, he surveyed the area and asked, "Where's Peter Pan?"

I grinned when I heard the childhood nickname. Ever since I became obsessed with the fairy tale, Rufioh, who was fond of terms of endearment, was quick to name me after the boy who never grew up. It made me really happy as a kid and it still warmed my heart a little.

He spotted me from the top of the stairs, and said, grinning, "Come on, Peter, why don't you use your powers to fly down here and give your old brother a hug?"

I rushed down the stairs and came to a stop next to Rufioh, completing the Nitram family gathering. "I'm not a kid anymore," I informed him. As much as I liked hearing it, I became a little embarrassed at the dorky Peter Pan references.

Rufioh grabbed me in a headlock and noogied my head. "No matter how old you get, you'll always be the baby of the family," he said affectionately.

"But he's the third oldest," piped Matias, obviously misunderstanding what he meant.

"Trust me, Mat, he's six at heart."

The rest of my family laughed joyfully and I couldn't suppress the wide smile on my face.

* * *

After a long dinner, I returned to my room in search of my soccer sign-up sheets. I rummaged through my backpack and pulled them out, clenching them nervously. I already filled out the rest of the information; all I needed left was a parent's signature. I avoided asking my parents for a week in hopes of missing the hand-in deadline to get out of my promise with Aradia. However, now that I promised Josefa that I would teach her how to play soccer, I had to be a part of the team if I wanted to improve my skills to help her.

I got up and made my way down the hall as slowly as possible to delay the confrontation. I lingered in front of the master bedroom, dreading the upcoming explanation. I tried to work up the courage to knock on the door by telling myself dad will be proud that I'm picking up soccer again—utterly shocked and doubtful, but proud, at least.

"Hey Tav, what's up?

I jumped at the unexpected presence and turned around to face Rufioh, who looked at me curiously. Quickly shoving the sign-up sheets in my back pocket, I tried to act casual. "H-hey Rufioh… uh, why are you up here? I mean, aren't you supposed to be sleeping on the, uh, couch…?"

Rufioh raised an eyebrow, but, fortunately, he didn't ask about my odd behaviour. "I was just getting a blanket from the closet." He gestured behind him to the closet beside my bedroom, and then said teasingly, "Don't want me to freeze down there, do you, Tav?"

"Oh. Right. Yeah, that makes sense." I grabbed at anything to say, but my mind was too distracted to carry a proper conversation. "I was, um, going to sleep."

"You sure?" Rufioh glanced from me to the bedroom door. "It looks like you were gonna go to mom and dad's room. Don't let a guy disturb you."

"No," I said a little too quickly. I bit my lip and settled my eyes anywhere but Rufioh's face. "I mean, yeah, but it's nothing."

"Alright, that's cool," he said and walked down the hall toward the closet. I followed him briskly, trying to reach the safety of my room as soon as possible. Once I was at my door, I bid Rufioh good night and slammed the door behind me.

Halfway across the room, however, I heard a knock on my door. "Yo Tavros, you dropped your papers."

My heart stopped and I cursed myself for putting the sheets in my pocket. It was probably one of the dumbest ideas I've ever had. Now all I could do was hope that he didn't read its contents.

"Hey… I didn't know you wanted to play soccer again. Why didn't you tell me, man?"

I should have known hoping was futile.

I turned around just as he entered the room, flipping through the pages of the sign-up sheets. I cringed as I imagined him recalling what happened that summer all those years ago; the shame and embarrassment that I worked hard to never mention again.

"I, uh, don't r-really know. Aradia convinced me t-to join, and then, um, Josefa wanted to learn…" I said in a lame attempt to reinforce the fact that I in _no way_ thought I was good enough to play the sport. But I wasn't making much sense, as usual.

"I think it's pretty dope that you're trying out even if you weren't the best as a kid," he reassured me with a smile. I wasn't entirely convinced, but it made me feel slightly better.

Rufioh probably sensed my doubt because he didn't look very pleased. "No need to feel embarrassed, man. How bout I sign the sheets so you don't need to tell dad, that cool?"

I looked up in surprise and gratitude. "Wow, yeah, I would really appreciate that."

Rufioh's grin returned full force and he grabbed a pen from my desk. He signed all the areas that said 'Parent/Guardian 18 years and above' and handed them back to me. All I could do was stare at the fully signed soccer forms in disbelief.

Rufioh ruffled my hair affectionately. "Don't let anyone clip your wings, Peter Pan, because if you do, you can't soar above them."

* * *

**Tell me what you think of the Nitram family. I hoped you loved reading about them as much as I loved writing them. I'll admit, I have a huge love of large families because, like Aradia's, mine's quite small and divided.**

**Thanks for reading!**


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